Several Persons Homeless In Buchanan

-Due To Flooding

By Alexander Musa Jr

As the rainy season intensifies, a two-day rainfall has left over five hundred citizens homeless in five communities in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County.

A heavy down pour of rain on Wednesday and Thursday left several persons of Fair Ground, Bassa, peace, and God Bless You Hill communities with nothing after a flood manipulated houses and damaged thousand dollars’ worth of properties.

Speaking to our correspondent in emotional agony, Madam Felecia, mother Manijay Karr and pastor James Teah, residents of Fair Ground Community alleged steel giant Arcelor Mittal of blocking a drainage that supposed to help in the free flow of creeks around the mentioned communities.

Mrs. Wilson in a strong tone said they have always experienced flood saga whenever Mittal block the drainage.

She said in 2013 she lost all of her properties to flood due to the blockage of the waterway by Mittal.

For his part, Pastor James Teah of Jesus Evangelistic Healing and deliverance Ministry says he has been affected by flood in this years.

“It is disheartening that Arcelor Mittal who we thought could help us is harming us by continuously closing the waterways,” he lamented.

“Last year we did not experience flood because we cried on them and they opened the drainage so we did not go through what we’re going through this year,” Pastor Teah added.

Pastor Teah, mother Karr and Mrs. Wilson like others lost their televisions, clothes, bags of rice and other valuable items.

The belongings of the citizens could be seen on top of water on Wednesday and Thursday.

Crying in the Bassa language, old lady Manijay Karr said “this thing is too much now it must stop because we are managing with life then flood is taking everything away from us.”

The victims at the same time calling on NGOs and the local authority of Grand Bassa County to intervene on their behalf.

Grand Bassa County Information Officer, Eddie Levi Williams said the county is engaging Arcelor Mittal to open the drainage for peaceful coexistence among citizens.

He gave hope to citizens by telling them that the county is having conversation with Mittal for the drainage issue.

Meanwhile, a hint from Mittal Communication Department shows the interest of the company in opening the waterways.

“It says we are having some talks with the county’s authority and very shortly we will be telling them to do an assessment and give the report to Mittal,” ArcelorMittal’s statement.

It can be recalled in August 2013, a three-day rainfall left hundreds of community dwellers homeless after Mittal erected a wall fence around her facility.

The fence is reportedly blocking free flow of water that used to flow through the route where the fence is erected.